Foldable box



M. LESTER FOLDABLE BOX Feb. 29, 1944.

Filed Sept. 5, 1942 LIFT'UP PRESS IN PM haze, 1944 UNITED STATES PATENT-I OFFICE I 2,842,813 r I FOLDABLE BOX Application September 3,1942, Serial No. 457,15l

Crayon Company,

IlClaims. (01. 200-44) This invention relates to foldable boxes such as paper or cardboard boxes, the object of the invention being to provide a simple and inexpensive box which may be made from a single cut or stamped-out blank and readily and quickly assembled by folding the blank along predetermined lines and maintained in assembled condition by a suitable adhesive at the rear side of the box and which box may be readily used for display as well as packaging purposes'and, in many instances, substituted for metal containers, and in which the cover of the box, while readily releasable, is maintained closed by a series of interlocking tabs or tongues.

In the drawing accompanying and forming a part. of this specification,

Fig. l is a view of the cut-out blank in readiness to be folded to form the box.

Fig. 2 is a perspective viewoi the box folded in readiness for use. r

Similar reference characters indicate corresponding parts in the several views. 7

Before explaining in detail the present improvement and mode of operation thereof desire it understood that the invention is not limited to the details of construction and arrangement of parts illustrated in the accompanying drawing since the invention is capable of other embodiments, and that the phraseology employed is for the purpose of description and not of limitation.

In the manufacture of this improved box, a suitable blank of flexible material such as cardboard or the like is cut or stamped out to provide a bottom, a cut-out top and a cover foldable over the top, the blank having the necessary portions to form the sides and ends of the box, which latter are formed by interlocking foldable portions and tabs and for this purpose a blank sheet of suitable material is cut or stamped out to form a bottom a cut-out display top 2 and a foldable cover I, the bottom I and cover 3 being united by a relatively narrow portion 4 forming the rear side of the box when assembled and the bottom I and cut-out top 2 being united by a similar portion forming the front side of the box when assembled.

The cut-out top 2 is also provided with a relatively narrow rear portion 8 adapted to be overlapped and adhesively secured to the relatively narrow rear side portion 4 uniting the bottom and cover and so forming a box when folded along predetermined lines, having a bottom, a cut-out top and a pair of relatively narrow front and rear wa s. Thus, the ear wa l is formed by adhesively securing the relatively narrow rear portion 6 of the top 2 to the rear side of the bottom I so that the cover 3 may be readily folded over the cut-out top 2 to close the box.

To form the ends of the box, the cut-out top or, in some instances, the bottom, is provided with foldable end flaps I and 8, each interlocked by a pair of tabs 8 and I0 projecting from the side portions 4 and 5, forming the front and rear sides of the box so that when the box is assembled, a rectangular box is provided readily adapted for various purposes although it will be understood, of course that the particular size and shape of the box may be materially varied without departing from the scope oi the invention. In other words, the dimensions of the box as to length, breadth and width may be readily varied.

For maintaining the cover effectively closed over the cut-out top, it is provided with a series of interlocking tabs or tongues I2 and I3, the tabs I! being somewhat shorter and narrower than the tabs l2 and adapted to be projected under the edge I4 of the cut-out top while the tabsl2 overlap this cut-out edge, this interlocking effect being obtained merely by pressing the shorter tabs I3 under the edge l4, permitting the longer tabs I! to project over such edge and completely close the box. To open'the cover, it is only necessary to lift the longer intermediate tab it, thereby permitting the cover to be raised and contents displayed.

Thus, I have provided a very simple and inexpensive box which may be readily made from a single sheet bf material and quickly folded and secured in such foldedcondition by adhesively uniting the relatively narrow depending rear side portion 6 of the top 2 with the relatively narrow rear side 4 which unites the bottom I and cover 3 while the ends are suitably folded and interlocked, and which box is provided with a foldable cover interlockable with the cut-out top,

without the provision of slots or slits but which may be readily opened and closed in an effective manner, as is not practicable with those boxes having tabs and slits since it is well known that the tabs quickly become torn off, and which box may be effectively used for display purposes.

The box, of course, may have any suitable ornamentation and, in practice, the short tabs II are marked Press in while the longer middle tab is marked Lift up," thereby to indicate the manncr in which t e coveris to be manipulated to 2 aasasvs interlock it with the body of the box and to release it.

It is to be understood that, by describing in detail herein any particular form or arrangement, it is not intended to limit the invention beyond the terms of the several claims or the requirements of the prior art.

Having thus explained the nature of my said invention and described a way-of constructing and using the same, although without attempting to set forth all of the forms in which it may be made orvall of the modes of its use. I claim:

1. A foldable box made from a single cut-out blank and having a display opening in the top and a cover hinged along one edge of said top, said cover having along its free edge a series of three relatively wide and long tabs spaced apart and adapted to overlap the front portion of the top, and a pair of relatively narrow and short tabs of less width and length than said long tabs and adapted to underlap the front edge of said display opening to hold the cover in closed position, the lifting of the middle tab of the series eil'ective to release the short underlapping tabs.

2. A foldable box made from a single cut-out blank and having a display opening in the top and a cover hinged along one edge of said top, said cover having along its free edge a series of three relatively wide and long tabs spaced apart .and located one at each end of the cover and the other therebetween and adapted to overlap the front portion of the top, and a pair of relatively narrow and short tabs of less width and length than said long tabs and adapted to underlap the front edge of said display opening to hold the cover inclosed position, the lifting of the middle tab of the series effective to release the short underlapping tabs.

3. A foldable box made from a single cut-out blank and having a display opening in the top and a cover hinged along one edge of said top, said cover having along its free edge a series of three relatively wide and long tabs spaced apart and adapted to overlap the front portion of the top, the middle tab of the series being substanthree relatively wide and long tabs spaced apart and located one at each end of the cover and the other therebetween and adapted to overlap the front portion of the top, the middle tab of 'the series being substantially twice as long as Pins tabs.

5. A foldable box made from a single cut-out blank folded to provide a bottom and a cut-out top and a foldable cover for said cut-out top, the bottom and top united by the front side of the box and the cover and bottom united by the rear side of the box, said rear side being connected to the rear side portion of the top. and foldable interlocking end portions and tabs forming the ends of the box, the cover having along its front edge a series of three relatively wide and long tabs spaced apart and located one at each end of the cover and the other therebetween and adapted to overlap the front portion of the top, the middle tab of the series being substantially twice as long as the end tabs, and a pair of relatively narrow and short tabs of less width and length than said long tabs and adapted to underlap the front edge of the display opening to hold the cover closed, the lifting of the middle tab of the series effective to release the short underlapping tabs.

6. A foldable box made from a single cut-out blank folded to provide a bottom and a cut-out top and a foldable cover for said cut-out top, the bottom and top united by the front side of the box and the cover and bottom united by the rear top, the middle tab of the series being substantially twice as long as the end tabs, and a pair of relatively narrow and short tabs of less width and length than said long tabs and adapted to underlap the front edge of the display opening to hold the cover closed, the lifting of the middle tab of the series effective to release the short underlapping tabs, each of said longer tabs having curved ends and each of said shorter tabs having a convex formation.

MACK IESTER. 

